Sunday, 15 March 2009

Traditional English Steak & Ale Pie Recipe

It is quite a while since I posted a recipe, so I thought I would dust off the cooking utensils and pull something together. One of my favourite comfort foods is Steak and Ale Pie. There is nothing more satisfying than tucking in to a good pie, mashed potato and peas. Now it would be rotten of me to tell you this, without letting you into the secret of my favourite traditional Steak and Ale Pie recipe :o)

After you have tried this great recipe for a traditional English Steak and Ale Pie, please be welcome to either email me or leave a comment at the bottom of this post with your feedback. Thank You ~ Graham :o)

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* * * INGREDIENTS * * *

(Serves 4)

750g Braising Steak (or neck/shin of beef)

2 - 3 onions (sliced)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 bay leaf

Plain flour

Puff Pastry or Shortcrust Pastry

2 - 4 rashers of smoked bacon

6 - 7 mushrooms

A Knob of Butter

500ml Dark Ale/Beer

250ml Beef Stock1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce (optional)Salt and Pepper to season

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Please click HERE to for a UK/US weights and measures conversion table

RECIPE

The first step is to dice the steak (in this example I have used shin of beef, but you could use braising steak or neck of beef - any cut that requires slow cooking is ideal) into reasonable sized pieces.

Whilst doing this, heat up the pan until it is very hot. It is important to get the pan hot, so that you can brown off the steak. Put seasoned plain flour into a dish and place each piece of steak into the flour, thoroughly coating all sides.

Then add the pieces to the pan. It is really important to get lots of colour into the steak at this point as this is will help give the stew a lovely dark colour. Add salt and pepper as the steak browns.

Once browned on both sides, remove the steak from the pan, and put aside.

Next dice some smoked bacon and add to the pan with a touch more butter. Any caramelised bits on the bottom of the pan from browning the beef will add to the flavour as we cook the bacon.

Now add the sliced onions and chopped garlic clove.

We are looking to caramelised the onions down, so keep the pan on a high heat. (To help caramelise the onions you can add a small sprinkle of caster sugar). Keep stiring the onions whilst cooking them so that they do not burn on the bottom (as the burnt pieces will give the mixture a bitter aftertaste).

Once the onions are caramelised you will see them turn really soft and brown.

Now you can add the remaining ingredients. Firstly add 6 or 7 large chopped button mushrooms and mix them in well to ensure they get coated in the onion and bacon mixture.

Next slowly pour in the Ale, allowing it to reduce down a bit before pouring in the beef stock.

Add in the browned steak pieces that were cooked earlier, making sure that they are covered by the stock. Finally add a bay leaf and cover the pan.

Allow it to gently simmer for around 2 hours.

When you remove the lid you will see that the sauce has reduced and thickened and the mushrooms are wonderfully soft.

Allow the beef and ale to cool
(to get the best flavour possible, it would be ideal to leave it overnight)

Once cold place the beef into your pie dish,
layering with spoonfulls of the sauce, mushrooms and onion.

It is important to pile up the steak and vegetables, to ensure that the pastry lid doesn't sink when you put it on. You can either use shortcrust or puff pastry. If you are using ready made puff pastry, roll two layers together. Next, coat the rim of the pie dish with an egg wash to help the pastry stick, before finally placing the lid on the dish.

Once you have placed the lid on the dish, crimp the edges with your thumbs and fingers to form a seal and stop the pastry shrinking during cooking. If you have any leftover pastry, you can add some decorative leaf features onto the top of the pie.

Trim the excess pastry from the edge of the dish and coat the top of the pie in egg wash (Egg wash using 1 whole egg and one egg yoke, to give the pie a deep golden brown colour).

Finally cut a cross mark in the centre of the lid of the pie with a knife to allow steam to escape through during the cooking process. This should help avoid a soggy pastry.

Bake the pie in the oven for about 30-40 minutes at 200C/180C fan/ Gas Mark 6.

47 comments:

Looks delish! Well i'm not a mushroom fan but everything else looks absolutely tasty, I can't believe you cook like that. Some people here marinade steaks with beer, i've never tried it. When you said "steak and ale" i thought "I didn't know they had those restaurants in england"..lol That is a chain here, of course they don't serve anything like this. They should, amazing! Thanks for posting, i love looking at the photographs that you include with them. You must have soft lighting in the kitchen, I have harsh flourescent lamps so it always comes out white and sterile looking if I photograph in the kitchen. bah

Yum! this is a great recipe Graham!Too bad I got hungry now but it's 1.24 am :S besides...I already had dinner :PI'll definitely cook this...I'll find ale in Salta, no matter how many days it takes me :)

Oh my god, my dear beautiful little goober! This is soooo amazing. I am floored. I knew you were a good cook but this is torture. I would even eat this. And I've not eaten red meat in forever. This looks so delicious I can hardly stand it. You really are such a gem, a deep lover of nature, one of the kindest souls I've EVER met, funny as all get out and a bloody brilliant cook. I love this kind of soul food. I am just so proud of you, all the time. Who taught you how to cook, you mom/dad? Or did you just teach yourself. You have wonderful connection with cooking and food. I too LOVE to cook but have had almost NO time for it for over a year now, due to book related work. I do make excellent soups, pasta, dressings and sauces and dips to die for. And used to make all my own bread, rolls, etc. Not for a long time now...due to work. I also do fantastic stir fries and things like that. I miss cooking.

I have so enjoyed your warm friendship Graham. It means so much to me. You have made me laugh and cry and wonder and rejoice. I hope to get time to drop you an email. But in the mean time know that you are thought of so often and that I have the highest respect for you who you choose to be.

Have you yet decided where your nest adventure will take you? Let me know if you post about it. I would love to read it. You are a special friend Little Goober!

Wow!! Yummy! What a GREAT looking! This dish looks so beautiful with the colours. It's a Very tempting and delicious recipe. Can't wait to see your posting, my mouth is watering. Will try it out soon. Thanks so much for sharing.

Wow. I just made this and it turned out absolutely divine! I finished it off in a pressure cooker to get the meat extra tender, and also made some quick flakey pastry instead of using shortcrust, both of which worked fantastically.I've searched far and wide for a decent steak and ale pie recipe, and this really hit the spot!Excellent, I encourage people very much to try this one!Thanks xxx

I live in Puerto Rico and just got home from a trip to London. We wanted to have a day of english food here so we made fish and chips and the pie and it was absolutely delicious. It is a fabulous recipe. Thanks.

Fantastic! Thanks for a wonderfully illustrated recipe! :DNever made S&A pie before, altered a few ingredients (dropped bacon, exchanged the mushrooms for a handful of chantarelles and added finely chopped carrot) and served it to my girlfriend for birthday dinner.Total success!! :DToday we made it again, with equal success! Thanks from a Norwegian who recently discovered this wonderful dish :)

I'm a Brit living in Texas. I have asked my American wife many times if she could bake me up a good ol' British steak and ale pie. Bless her heart she has tried but never quite achieved the desired outcome. However, I've got a feeling I shall be trying your recipe this weekend and will be sure to let you know how I get on :) Thanks for the recipe.

Graham. I'm the Brit who left the comment above. This weekend wifey and I had a shot at making your pie. It came out great, fan-bloody-tastic in fact. Alas, I ate too much and have heart burn this morning but otherwise wonderful :) Thanks.

I am so glad you are all enjoying the recipe. Receiving your feedback really makes me smile! I am glad others are getting the chance to experience the food I enjoy so much! Keep cooking and keep eating!!!!

This is a good size meal for 4 people. In this recipe I have made it into one big pie, but you could equally split it between for small pie dishes and make individual ones. Happy cooking and even happier eating!!

I must say that this really is the VERY BEST EVER steak and ale pie. We had great fun making it and your step by step directions and photographs were so very helpful. I had the whole family over for an "English theme" dinner party and they all tucked in and loved every mouthful. They all agreed at the end of the meal that the steak and ale pie was the best bit. I think I will be asked to make this again and again and again, and this is the first recipe that I have used where I would not change a single thing and will continue to follow it to the letter!!!! Thank you so much!! 11 out of 10!

Deeeeeeeeelicious!!!!!!!!!!! Followed your recipe to the letter and it turned out just perfect. My mom, dad and boyfriend all loved it and have already asked me to make it again. I might try your hotpot recipe next time although it is hard to get lamb here.

While I rarely make steak and ale pie this is THE one I go to. Your recipe is perfect and your step by step pictures make it easy to prepare. As cool weather approaches here in Mass. U.S. I am planning to make this soon. Thanks Graham

Graham's Photobook....Through The Eyes Of A Dreamer

Who is Graham Ettridge?

Graham Ettridge is an Englishman with a curious and wandering soul. Born in Shakespeare’s birthplace town of Stratford Upon Avon in England during the early 1970’s, Graham then grew up in the wonderful county of Wiltshire in England. From here, he has developed a true passion for travel and photography.

The Author's Statement

“It all started with “Oh my goodness! I’m in my late 20’s, I’m single and I have done nothing with my life”. The realisation that hit me like a freight train one spring morning in 2002. My period of procrastination had to come to an end. So, whilst supping a beer in my local pub with a friend, we decided to go on an adventure – and within a few days had arranged a trek through the Sinai desert in Egypt – That’s how it started, and as any avid traveller will know, once you catch the travel bug it never goes away, it just gets stronger. Each time you cross one destination off the top of your list, you add another two to the bottom. The desire to experience new cultures; the want to meet new people; the need to learn more about yourself….it’s all just a footstep away.

“My camera has provided good company during my travels, enabling me to capture some of the special moments that I have experienced. Part of my passion with photography is to take an unusual view of the things around me. To open my eyes wider and to absorb the wonders of nature, architecture, people and objects that very often we take for granted.

“I am a novice photographer, but have an ambition to develop and enhance my technique whilst still trying to hold on to my raw appreciation of life.”